HRW blasts Israel for using starvation as 'weapon of war' in Gaza

Israel is using starvation as a “weapon of war” in Gaza by intentionally cutting people’s access to water and food, which is a war crime, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

“Israeli forces are deliberately blocking the delivery of water, food, and fuel, while willfully impeding humanitarian assistance, apparently razing agricultural areas, and depriving the civilian population of objects indispensable to their survival,” the rights group said in a statement on Monday.

It pointed out to the statements made by high-ranking Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Energy Minister Israel Katz on their intention to “deprive civilians in Gaza of food, water and fuel – statements reflecting a policy being carried out by Israeli forces.”

Other Israeli officials, it added, have publicly stated that humanitarian aid to Gaza would be conditioned either on the release of hostages unlawfully held by Hamas or Hamas’s destruction.

“For over two months, Israel has been depriving Gaza's population of food and water, a policy spurred on or endorsed by high-ranking Israeli officials and reflecting an intent to starve civilians as a method of warfare,” said Omar Shakir, HRW's Israel and Palestine director.

“World leaders should be speaking out against this abhorrent war crime, which has devastating effects on Gaza’s population.”

The HRW said international humanitarian law, or the laws of war, prohibits the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, it said, provides that intentionally starving civilians by “depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival, including willfully impeding relief supplies” is a war crime. "Criminal intent does not require the attacker’s admission but can also be inferred from the totality of the circumstances of the military campaign."

Israel’s continuing blockade of Gaza, as well as its more than 16-year closure, amounts to collective punishment of the civilian population, a war crime, the non-profit based in New York said.

Israel's air and ground attacks on Gaza since the October 7 attack by Hamas have killed more than 18,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured many more.

The war has left Gaza in ruins with half of the coastal territory's housing stock damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million people displaced within the densely-populated enclave amid shortages of food and clean water.

The HRW called on Tel Aviv to immediately cease using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, and abide by the prohibition on attacks on objects necessary for the survival of the civilian population and lift its blockade of Gaza.

“The government should restore water and electricity access, and allow desperately needed food, medical aid, and fuel into Gaza, including via its crossing at Kerem Shalom,” it said.​​​​​​​

It also called on the US, UK, Canada, Germany, and other countries to “suspend military assistance and arms sales to Israel as long as its forces continue to commit widespread and serious abuses amounting to war crimes against civilians with impunity.”